No fatalities

29 Jul 2017: PDPS PZL-BIELSKO SZD 55-1 — Mocksville, NC

Mocksville, NC, United States

On 29 Jul 2017, a PDPS PZL-BIELSKO SZD 55-1 was involved in an aviation accident near Mocksville, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting wind conditions. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A glider sustained substantial fuselage damage after bouncing twice during landing in gusting wind. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures.

Accident Overview

A glider pilot reported that during landing in gusting wind conditions, the glider bounced. In response, the pilot added more spoiler to help the glider settle back onto the ground. He added that a gust of wind rotated the glider to the left, causing it to bounce again, reaching about 3-4 feet into the air. After the second bounce, the glider landed hard with the nose yawed to the left.

Damage and Mechanical Condition

The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.

Weather Conditions

A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located 16 nautical miles east of the accident airport reported that, about 40 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 30° at 17 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 360° at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The glider landed on runway 1.

Contributing factors

Causes

Landing flare — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation